INTERVIEW WITH MARIO GUILLOT, CREATOR OF THE IV-PLAY CLOTHING BRAND

Mario Guillot, you have been involved in creating and nurturing IV-Play for some years now with very encouraging results on the local market. Could you just share some basic facts about the creation of IV Play with Industry Focus Readers?

 IV PL@Y was created in 1994. I had just come back to Mauritius after spending 8 years in Australia as head designer for an Australian Brand.It started as a T-shirt brand with a strong identity designed to stand out of the lot.

In 1995,I joined forces with Bernard Li on the retail side. Due to customer demand, IV PL@Y then went into full gear strongly driven by passion & the will to create the best & most exciting product at any moment in time. What started as a one man show has today developed into a two distinct development & retail companies directly employing a staff of 40 all sharing the same pride in the brand.

We now have 6 IV PL@Y concept stores & also distribute to selected stores.

After this very positive local experience you have been involved in some in-roads on some international markets. What perspectives do you see for IV Play there, and how you go about it?

Mauritius being a tourist destination, we are often approached by foreign businessmen who show keen interest in distributing the brand overseas.So far, although we have done some  export, we have mainly concentrated on satisfying the local market & modernising our production & design departmernt.We believe that we have now reached cruising speed on the local market & we are currently launching IV PL@Y in France, & discussing with other countries such as  Australia, South africa  Italy & Germany.We have even been approached by unsuspected countries like ...    Angola. 

IV PL@Y has not so far done any  trade fairs & approached foreign clients.We have dealt with proposals as they came along.We now believe we are ready to handle bigger productions & tackle international markets.

What are your views about creating a 'Made in Mauritius' Label and what issues you would like to bring to the fore on this important matter?

I believe that  it will be hard to launch a “Made in Mauritius” brand if the marketing point is only the fact that it is "made in Mauritius". What makes a brand is identity.

Although we have the potential to manufacture at international standards,when it comes to creating a brand,I believe the selling factor of a new brand would be for that brand to offer a distinctive point of difference as far as design & identity is concerned. An acute awareness of international trends is necessary, but it will also need that touch of originality & dream factor.

This core concept cannot be created by factories coming together to create a brand ...it will only create chaos. It can only be put together by a man / woman ,with a powerful concept and vision with the support of local manufacturers for the logistics & production & perhaps financing.This demands great talent , sharp business qualities & solid financing....Let's hope we have it.

Imagine Mauritians telling Europeans what to wear...

Ashraf Oozeerally – July 2005  - Industry Focus Magazine, issued by Enterprise Mauritius